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How to Grab Free Apps for Your Gadgets

One of the major areas of change in technology touching most of our lives is the power of the devices we carry around in our pockets, purses, or bags. Smartphones and tablets—the fastest growing segment of technology the past few years—have created the potential for a market where we can officially say, “There’s an app for that.” While these apps have the power and ability to make our lives easier and more enjoyable, or even show us how to make a better breakfast, I want to talk about places to find these great apps, which normally cost a few dollars, for free. Yes, free.

Both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android have fabulous places to find paid apps for free. If you own an Android device, then visit Amazon’s App Store for a free paid app each and every day. Sometimes the apps are wonderful productivity apps or fun games, but sometimes these apps are not that great. Always check the reviews before you purchase. Don’t have an Android device? Another positive feature about app stores is that you can “purchase” the apps before you even own the device to run them, and it can then install as soon as you are ready to go. Since the apps are tied to your account you can also keep your device clean and speedy by deleting apps that you currently do not use and then reinstall if you change your mind. Try this on both Android or iOS devices to manage your resources.

Have a iPhone or iPad? Apple and Starbucks have now jumped on board with free apps each week. Following in Amazon’s footsteps, Apple discovered that even though people will shell out large amounts of money for their great products (myself included), they also like free things. Now featured each week, beginning on Thursday, is a new paid app of the week that can be added to all of your iOS devices or even ones you do not yet own.

If you go into iTunes Store on your computer or App Store on your device, scroll down a bit and you will see the beautiful “App of the Week” tile. Click the “Purchase” button and you now have another wonderful, well-reviewed app.

Starbucks isn’t truly a free “app” of the week but what they call the Free Pick of the Week. This week just happens to be a free download of Adele’s “Rumour Has It” that has been stuck in my head a lot longer than a week. Last week was Disney’s physics-based app “Where’s My Water.”

Know any other great places to find free, legal, quality apps? Leave a comment to share with all of us. ~Chris